Estes Saturn V

[Gary Byrum]

Does anyone know if this deal at Amazon.com is just for Cyber Monday or is this price with free shipping available all the time?
http://www.amazon.com/Estes-2157-Sat...2501537&sr=8-1

[RocketManDan]

Does anyone know if this deal at Amazon.com is just for Cyber Monday or is this price with free shipping available all the time?
http://www.amazon.com/Estes-2157-Sat...2501537&sr=8-1

I would just buy it...that's a steal!

[PhlAsh]

Last time I saw it listed there (a week or so ago) it was $65. Jump on it!

[Gary Byrum]

Nuff Said! The deed is done!

[[POW]Eagle159]

Just add some nose weight and add an AT E20-4w and then you have a good Saturn V!

[Gary Byrum]

I'm thinking more along the lines of an F24 upgrade so I can launch it at the next Freedom Launch. Here's a good vid of that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK-H1fcAAA0

[LW Bercini]

Nuff Said! The deed is done!

Congrats. Now.... How do you plan to do the plastic fins?

[Gary Byrum]

Congrats. Now.... How do you plan to do the plastic fins?

OH..hey you! That remains to be seen of course. I have skills now that I didn't have back in the day. I'm sure I can cross that bridge when the time comes.

[Rocketlady]

Have fun with the wraps!

[[POW]Eagle159]

Have fun with the wraps!

Dem easy.................5 min. epoxy for me ( and some tape)

[Gary Byrum]

Wraps is a no brainer for me. I'm the "SHROUD KING". I got my chops together on them notes! When you build scratch, you know the rules...and struggle learning them.

[Scotty Dog]

I'm sure I can cross that bridge when the time comes.

Not much of a choice there Gary. And ya cannt cross a bridge till ya come to it either.

[Gary Byrum]

AH! master Scottymus.....LW and I already have a plan in motion. His notes bear much respect on this note. We have a way of building together regardless of the miles between. There IS a solution.

[Gary Byrum]

I've posted bits and pieces of this build in different threads especially where I used Poxyfoam as a filler and such but never really a build thread to speak of. So, all has been going very well with this UP TO where the fins and fairings come into play. In that department I really wish I had used epoxy all the way around to assemble these fins. Trying to rescue the assembly from having used the crappy liquid plastic cement I bought has led to disaster. One bad thing led to another with these fins and they are pretty much toast. And unless I can get my hands on some of those resin cast jobs, I'm going to just use balsa. The fairings?....omg....They are ill fitting to the BT 101 wrap, (too large) the slots are too small for the fins, and the plastic is way too flimsy to work with adequately. If I continue to sand these to fit, they're going to be all wrong. I already overcompensated on one of the fairings to know this already. It's toast also. All my efforts to fit and work with these particular vac parts have been pretty much a waste of time. I'm a pretty patient builder and I take my time with tedious or delicate / intricate things, but honestly, I think these 2 particular vac pieces were just made bad. I already contacted Estes to see if I could purchase another bag-o-vac parts along with my sob story.

[rosko_racer]

.... The fairings?....omg....They are ill fitting to the BT 101 wrap, (too large) the slots are too small for the fins, and the plastic is way too flimsy to work with adequately. If I continue to sand these to fit, they're going to be all wrong....

Gary, I had a similar problem with the fairings of my SATURN V. The Centuri kit included a fairing trim guide that would help the builder with the fairings. I sanded the ones on my kit to match the guide and they went well, except for one when I did not used the template. Estes should have included the template and the instructions with the kit. One can find the instructions on Ye Old Rocketry Plans and look for steps 46 and 47.

I replaced the fins with styrene sheet that are stronger and not much heavier. the thread on how to do these can be found here at YORF. I cut open the bottom of the fairings to add a fillet of epoxy on the inside of the fairings and to the fins. If I would to do another one I would coat the inside of the fairings with a thin layer of epoxy for strenth once they were glued to the BT.

- r_r

[Gary Byrum]

Gary, I had a similar problem with the fairings of my SATURN V. The Centuri kit included a fairing trim guide that would help the builder with the fairings. I sanded the ones on my kit to match the guide and they went well, except for one when I did not used the template. Estes should have included the template and the instructions with the kit. One can find the instructions on Ye Old Rocketry Plans and look for steps 46 and 47.

I replaced the fins with styrene sheet that are stronger and not much heavier. the thread on how to do these can be found here at YORF. I cut open the bottom of the fairings to add a fillet of epoxy on the inside of the fairings and to the fins. If I would to do another one I would coat the inside of the fairings with a thin layer of epoxy for strenth once they were glued to the BT.

- r_r

R R, Thanks. I already saw the faring template prior to the build. I went with what Chris Michielssen posted on his build blog and he seems to be well tuned into this build. I still think I have bad parts nonetheless. Getting the fairings to conform with the airframe was not the issue though. Getting what I deem as "over sized" fairings to fit WHERE they are suppose to go is where the rub is. Along with fin slots that are too small. If I keep sanding these slots, I'm going to invade the raised channels. It's like trying to fit 8 pounds of potatoes in a 5# bag....so to speak.

[nmcafee]

I had a great time building the Estes Saturn V, had a little trouble with the wrappings but was happy with the final product. Unfortunately it caught fire and burned the bottom 7 inches off during it's maiden flight. It is pretty heavy for a D engine, I bet the extra glue and paint (I did a few layers) were a bit too much.

The price jumps up and down each week. They were $39.99 for a day 2 weeks ago. I check Amazon every day to see if they get cheap enough to build another.

[Gary Byrum]

I think these 2 particular vac pieces were just made bad. I already contacted Estes to see if I could purchase another bag-o-vac parts along with my sob story.

Gotta love those folks at Estes. They got back with me in less than 24 hours and told me they were sending me a new pack of vac parts. Apparently at no charge. Their customer service is indeed some of the best.

[LW Bercini]

Gotta love those folks at Estes. They got back with me in less than 24 hours and told me they were sending me a new pack of vac parts. Apparently at no charge. Their customer service is indeed some of the best.

[Gabriel315]

Thanks for all the info!!! It will help me on my model!!!

[Gary Byrum]

Thanks for all the info!!! It will help me on my model!!!

This is one of the reasons I don't usually buy and build kits. Parts quality is usually always an issue. But I knew if I ever wanted another Saturn V, I'd never do it from scratch so I bought the kit. Had similar issues with a Mars Lander I purchased last year with terrible ebossing in all areas and less than adequate CR stock. Granted, they were nicely precut and fit very well but the paper quality was shoddy IMO.